Beneficial
by K4no
Summary: Naoto moves in to live with Souji, but for a reason he never would have expected.
1. Day 1&2: Unexpected

**It has occurred to me that I am sort of terrible. I have severe writer's block when it comes to how I want to continue Cuffs, but, as I wrote this more and more, I found that this was more fun (or at least more interesting) to develop. It's been a while, so review if you like and let me know what you think.**

 **This chapter starts the story off as more of setting the stage than outright lemon from the gate. Needless to say, there will be more...let's just say the stuff I've been writing.**

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Day 2

Normally, Souji was the epitome of a morning person; a quick glance at the clock told him that he was about an hour past his alarm. He made to get up, but a warm form snuggled against him kept him in place. Looking down at the disheveled blue hair belonging to the girl that was still slumbering peacefully, he dimly noted that she was nude. Upon closer inspection, so was he. Aside from wrestling with whether he should consider this good or bad, the events of the day before slowly came back to him. His head fell back on the pillow as he stared at the ceiling, noting that what had transpired was quite real. A soft hum came from Naoto as she curled against him and relaxed, looking up at him with tired grey eyes. "Mm...good morning, Souji-kun…"

"Um...morning, Naoto."

She covered her yawn with her hand and pressed her cheek to his chest, closing her eyes as she did. "Did you sleep well?"

Surprisingly…"Yeah. I hope you did, too…?"

"Mmhm."

Naoto hugged his chest as Souji decided to go with the flow, wrapping his arms around her waist and putting his chin to her hair. He remained silent as Naoto slowly drifted back to sleep, unable to do anything but let his gaze wander and blush at his audacity.

And that was how Souji's morning started.

An hour later, and the two were much more awake. Blushes were evident between the two of them, and they went through the motions of sheepishly handing each other their scattered clothes. Souji had just pulled his slacks back on as he muttered, "Something feels wrong about this…"

"What do you mean?"

He shrugged, unsure of what to say next but unwilling to let this conversation go. Naoto watched him for a moment before smiling slightly and concentrating on buttoning her shirt. "...I don't know. Hard to say."

"It was consensual."

He blushed slightly at that but retained his natural composure. "That's not what I meant."

Naoto tied her hair into a low, messy ponytail before sauntering over and putting her hands on his shoulders, her fingers gently massaging some tension out. He eyed his shirt lying on the floor next to the bed but ignored the urge to grab it in favor of Naoto's massage. "Are you still unsure about our new...situation?"

"That's an understatement."

"I must apologize then...I put a lot of pressure on you in such little time."

"I just want to ask...are you okay with...with all this?"

"Hm? Oh, of course. I thought it through and I stand by my decision to ask you."

Day 1

" _Y-you want to_ what _? With me?"_

" _Well, yes. I'm abroad often, and...I have to admit, having these, erm, frustrations can impede my focus."_

 _What had been a meeting for coffee had quickly spiralled into something that even Souji hadn't expected. Naoto was wearing a soft blush along with her casual business attire. After all, she was asking him something that was...out of the ordinary, to say the least._

" _And here I thought you were the most composed out of all of us."_

" _I believe you still lead that department, Senpai."_

" _...Thanks. But are you-"_

" _As I said, I'm not looking for anything special. I just want to unwind. What's the proper term for it…? Friends with benefits."_

 _Hearing the 'proper term' made it that much more real, and Souji found himself downing half his cup and sighing before stealing a glance at her. The few years since the case hadn't diminished her beauty in the slightest, what with the longer hair and generally more relaxed appearance. It made his heart throb, but there was a slight problem._

 _Friends with benefits. Not boyfriend and girlfriend._

 _He'd chosen to go single that fateful year, particularly because he couldn't find the time to work out his feelings for the detective. As such, he'd been given a while to let those feelings fester, and that had only fueled his desire to meet her more often. Obviously, this wasn't what he was expecting._

 _...He still had time to confess. Maybe…_

" _Senpai?"_

 _Shit._

" _I'll...take you up on that. Could be beneficial for both of us, huh?"_

 _Great plan._

 _She smiled fondly at him, nodding and taking a draft of her coffee. "Right. Now, I was hoping you could point out any good apartments in the city-"_

" _You don't have to worry about that. You can live in my place."_

 _For whatever reason, she blushed at his offer. "O-oh. Really, you don't need to-"_

" _I don't. But I will."_

 _He turned in his seat and grinned at her. "Benefits, y'know?"_

 _Naoto looked troubled for a moment before she took another sip and nodded affirmatively. Turning in the same manner he did, she reached over and took his hand in hers. The contact forced a gentle blush out of both of them, but she smiled and tightened her grip slightly. "Thank you. For everything."_

" _Mhm. Just...one condition."_

" _Of course. What's on your mind?"_

" _Call me Souji."_

" _...Alright. Whatever you ask, Souji-kun."_

" _Hah. That'll do, for now."_

"If it makes you feel any better, you are my only choice."

"Huh?"

"You were the only person I was going to ask regarding this."

"...Why?"

"Well...I-"

 _Pi-pi-pi-pi-pi…_

Naoto sighed and patted his shoulders, murmuring, "I'm sorry. We can talk later, okay?"

"Sure. Bring the spare key with you."

"Thank you."

She was heading towards the door, and Souji had half a mind to grab her arm and tell her to stay for just a little while, but when he saw he purposeful stride and the phone in her hand, all he could say was, "Naoto."

She turned and looked toward him, a silent question gleaming in her eyes as she put her hand over her phone's receiver. "...Be careful. Okay?"

His answer was a reassuring smile, followed by a curt nod as she showed herself out. Souji watched the door for a few moments more before reaching for his shirt and slipping it on. He rested his face in his palms and muttered, "...Dammit."

The email he received later confirmed his theory; Naoto was off on another case. It was a relatively important one too, judging by how she was travelling abroad for it.

 _From: Naoto Shirogane_

 _Senpai,_

 _I must apologize, but I've been hired to handle a case overseas. I may not be back for a few weeks, but I estimate I can put this to rest in two at most. I'd be glad to talk with you over the phone or through email if you so desire, just let me know when is a good time._

 _Naoto_

Souji smiled as he shut his phone, picking his book back up and idly turning the page. "See you soon, then."

* * *

 **Thanks for the read, and here's hoping you were interested to some capacity. I haven't seen something like this for this particular pairing, so I was curious how I would handle it.**

 **Till next time, K4no signing off.**


	2. Day 17: Return

**Glad the story has garnered some interest. Writing this is a nice change of pace from the admittedly...kind of weak work I've published before. You know, because this has some semblance of a plot.**

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Day 17

Souji checked the email he received that afternoon for what was probably the fourth time, carefully reading the simple contents.

 _From: Naoto Shirogane_

 _Senpai,_

 _I'll be returning tonight. If I arrive on the scheduled time, I'll buy us dinner. I hope you've been managing well enough with your studies, but, knowing you, you're the top of your class once again._

 _I look forward to seeing you again...I have to admit, I missed you these past few weeks._

 _Naoto_

"...This girl-"

 _To: Naoto Shirogane_

 _Kouhai,_

 _It's Souji. Please. I'll buy you a new hat._

He only had to wait about two minutes before she replied, this time through messaging rather than email.

 _Received 3:32 PM:_ _I'm holding you to that, Souji-kun._

"Oh, good."

 _Received 3:33 PM: And I'll only call you that if you don't call me Kouhai._

 _Sent 3:33: Deal._

He closed his phone with a sigh and opened the door to his apartment, shutting it with his foot and humming a short tune as he slipped out of his shoes. He had resigned himself to dropping his college bag near the front and falling face-first into his sofa, but what sounded like someone knocking on his door jolted him out of his half-sleep. Trudging over, he swung the door open and greeted whomever was visiting. "How's it goin- oh."

"Souji. Are you...okay?"

Souji smiled and offered a handshake to his best friend, ushering him into the apartment after a quick exchange of greetings. "Yosuke Hanananah~, how've you been?"

"Shut up. And I've been doing fine. You?"

 _Count on Yosuke to say two wildly different things in one breath..._

"Oh, great. Just…peachy."

Yosuke sat in one of the chairs in what Souji considered his living room, eyeing his friend with slight worry as he planted his hands on the kitchen counter-top. "What's up?"

"...Ehh…"

"Come on, you can tell me."

"You sound like Rise."

"If I did, I wouldn't be sitting in college with _Chie_ being the only thing keeping my sanity in check."

"Where would you be?"

"Buddy, I would be on a _boat_."

Souji threw open the door to his fridge as the two shared a laugh, the former reaching in to grab two bottles. "Got beer?"

"I don't drink. Neither do you."

"Yeah, but it seems right to say in this situation."

He tossed Yosuke a bottle of soda before sitting heavily on his sofa, popping the top and passing the opener to him. His friend followed suit and took a swig before sighing and nodding judiciously. "Aah, good old TaP."

"Figured you'd say that."

"Yep."

"How was the Junes campaign? Did Teddie get-"

"He, uh...sampled the new energy drink...To say he was bouncing off the walls is a literal summary."

"Get a good picture?"

"No. But I got a great video."

"Hm. Send it to me when you get the chance."

Yosuke took another draft and set the half-empty bottle down, resting his elbows on his knees as he gestured towards Souji, who was still reclining in his seat. "So. What's eating you?"

"Nothing."

"Partner, I've seen you at your best and your worst. You having girl troubles or something?"

Souji took another leisurely sip and looked away. "...You could say that."

"Oooh, finally. Come on, give me details!"

"If I wanted help, I'd get therapy."

"Yeah. But you don't need help, you need advice. So tell me!"

Souji stared at him for a second before downing about half the bottle, almost wishing it was alcohol if it would make this easier. "...Naoto."

"...As in our Shirogane? The detective…?"

"No, the idol."

"How'd you manage that? She seemed...aloof about that kinda thing."

"...She came to me."

"Huh. Always thought she had some crush on ya. Good job, man!"

"We're not dating."

"...Huh?"

Souji thunked the base of his bottle onto the table and sighed, nodding once and keeping his head bowed. "We aren't dating."

"Then...what is this…"thing" you're a part of?"

He scratched the back of his head nervously, gesturing lamely with his other hand as he tried to explain. "We're in a...mutually beneficial relationship."

Yosuke choked on his drink, and Souji couldn't help but muse about how he should've been the one sputtering. "You-...you two are-"

"Yeah."

He set the bottle down shakily and regarding Souji, unsure of what to think. "You two are...you know?"

"Yes, Yosuke."

"Having sex."

"Thank you for making this awkward."

"...You still like her, huh?"

Souji sighed deeply and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose hard. "Yes."

He opened one eye to stare at Yosuke as he started to laugh, patting his knee as Souji looked on. To say this wasn't the reaction he was expecting would be a stark understatement. "Clue me in?"

"You, my friend, are screwed."

Souji watched Yosuke's semi-mocking grin before scratching the back of his head and muttering, "Well...we did-"

"That's not what I meant, moron! If you keep up this crap, you're just waiting for her to get an actual boyfriend!"

"...Hmm."

"Think on it. You live with her, something's bound to happen eventually."

Souji watched as Yosuke finished his soda and headed towards the doorway, leaving his friend thinking on his situation. "I gotta go cram for a test. Later."

"Why'd you even come over then?"

"I _was_ going to play some games, but you inspired me."

"...Do tell."

"I've been reminded how lucky I am! See ya, have fun, take care!"

"...You can be a real dick sometimes."

"Hell yeah."

Souji winced slightly as the door slammed shut, staring bitterly at the soda bottle waiting cheerily on the table. "Did he have to exaggerate it that much…?"

His phone beeping steadily caught his attention, so he fished it out and checked his messages.

 _Received 3:47: Tell her how you feel or I'm telling everyone_

 _Sent 3:48: If you let Chie kick you downstairs._

 _Received 3:48: I think I can manage that._

 _Sent 3:50: Twice._

 _Received 3:50: noooooooo_

He walked over to his desk and opened his laptop, idly browsing his bookmarks and catching up on news. His search quickly tuned to advice in relationships that he eventually shut off completely.

A few hours later, he was roused from his slumber by the doorbell ringing, followed by the lock turning as someone let themselves in. He sighed in relief as he remembered the only person who had a key to his place, getting off the couch as he did. "Welcome back- oh."

Naoto looked tired, but she smiled as she dropped a duffel bag on the floor and lifted a plastic one with her free hand. "I'm back...I also bought take-out for dinner, so I hope you haven't eaten already."

"No, uh...no. I haven't, thanks. Is soda okay?"

"Mhm. Thank you."

Aside from the obvious, Naoto had turned out to be quite the roommate. Whenever she was home, she helped with the housework and they got along as if the arrangement was perfectly normal. He had also found out that she was actually fairly open to physical contact, growing more and more used to giving and taking it. Souji enjoyed when she was home the most, as it made the decent-sized apartment less lonely. So here they were, having dinner and chatting amicably. "Did you manage to settle everything?"

"Yes," She said between bites of rice. "The culprit covered her tracks well, but there was a flaw regarding the circumstances."

Souji nodded and was about to provide his own input, but he stopped, put down his plate, and hastily downed some of his drink. Naoto watched him with no small amount of amusement as he looked guilty about something. "I just realized...should you even be telling me this?"

She shrugged and smiled mischievously as she set down her plate. "I can trust you not to divulge this to anyone else. Besides, you're one of my closest friends."

Souji blinked at her before blushing softly and taking a bite. What he wanted to say was, _just friends?_ What he said instead was, "R-right. Thanks."

 _...Good going, Souji._

"You're blushing. Are you feverish?"

 _Dammit, you know it's your fault._

"I'm fine."

"Really now?"

"Mhm...have any plans for tonight?"

She raised an eyebrow as she chewed reflectively, shaking her head after a moment of consideration and savoring her food. "No. Did you have something in mind?"

"Well, I bought this movie the other day…"

An hour or two later saw night falling, and the two were taking a movie while resting on the couch. Rather, they were initially, as Naoto was straddling his legs and kissing him softly as the film droned on with low volume. Errant glances and subtle touches could only go so far; it was just over two weeks since their last meeting. Their only source of light was the screen, but that little detail went unnoticed and uncared for. She pulled away from Souji with a tiny gasp, putting her hand on the back of his head to encourage him as he gently bit her collarbone. His hand helped unbutton her shirt, and she kept one hand knotted in his hair while her other hastily undid the clasp of her bra. Souji rested his cheek on her bare stomach before turning his gaze up to look at her; concern was well-masked but still present in his tone as he asked, "Don't feel like turning in early? I mean, you were overseas and all."

"Not tired."

"Oh, really."

"Mm."

Souji pinned her underneath him and hissed against her skin as her fingers ran through his hair and her voice gasped for more. "Guess I'll just have to tire you out then."

Her eyes held a challenge and she smiled coyly for her reply. "You're welcome to try."

He leaned up and sat back to throw his shirt off, watching Naoto as she leisurely took off her trousers. His eyes lit up as he was treated to a borderline scandalous view of her legs, the glow from the TV providing just the right amount of light to see her smile turn the slightest bit teasing. He stared at her for a second before practically tackling her into the couch cushions, silencing her laughter with his mouth as the movie started to roll credits.


	3. Day 18-1: Cause and Effect

**Sorry for the slower update. No huge note either, so...have fun?**

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Day 18

Souji awoke that morning feeling remarkably refreshed, given that he fell asleep with Naoto on the couch-

…They were still on the couch. Slowly looking down to not disturb the detective, he noted that he was at least wearing his pants, while Naoto was wearing his shirt for whatever reason. It was cute, and that was all his tired mind could process at that point, so he let his head fall back on the cushion and silently wallowed in his shame.

 _...At least we're wearing a full set of clothes between us. Kind of._

His heart caught in his throat as Naoto stirred against him, her fingers tracing random lines on his chest as she muttered, "...Did we have sex on your couch?"

Souji tried to laugh without moving either of them too much; the result was something between a scoff and a chuckle. "All evidence points to...yes."

"Oh..."

"...Yeah."

They both lay with heavy blushes before Naoto broke the silence with a soft yawn, speaking around her breath, "Souji-kun?"

"Hm?"

"Now I'm tired."

Souji chuckled genuinely and pulled a blanket that was hanging on the cushion over them. She awkwardly shifted upwards and poked her head out of the cloth. He smiled kindly and put a gentle hand on her head as she nuzzled against him, easily falling asleep again with him as a pillow. His own eyelids felt heavy as he eyed the clock on the wall.

 _Well...class won't be for a few hours._

He closed his eyes with a small smile as Naoto mumbled quietly in her sleep. As his breathing relaxed, she half-opened her eyes and smiled before settling down and napping again.

Two hours later, and Souji woke up again, but he noticed that Naoto had disappeared. Running a hand through his hair to get it out of his eyes, he coughed to clear his throat before shouting, "Naoto?"

He almost tripped on the table as he made his way to the kitchen, and, as he righted himself, he noticed the neat pile of clothes sitting on the counter. He glanced around for no apparent reason other than reinforcing his own privacy before quickly throwing the clean clothes on. As he reached for the fridge door, he noticed the note with neatly written note pasted onto the metal.

 _Went to buy groceries. Be back in an hour._

 _Naoto_

"...Huh."

A few hours earlier...

Slowly, Naoto opened her eyes and blinked blearily, stifling a yawn as she reveled in the warmth she felt immediately upon waking. Gazing down at the slumbering Souji, she smiled fondly at his relaxed expression and gently ran her fingers through his hair. He mumbled vaguely and reached for her blindly as she gracefully slid out of the blanket and his embrace. She hugged herself at the slight chill in the air, glancing down and blushing at her...minor lack of clothing. Gathering her discarded clothes, her blush deepened at just how far she had managed to toss some of them in her fervor.

Her bare feet padded quietly against the floor as she ran to Souji's bedroom. They had to resort to sharing a bed due to the modest size of the apartment, but she paid it no mind; there were certain...perks to sharing. Tossing her clothes into the laundry basket, she brushed her hair back and tossed some loose locks over her shoulder as she checked the drawers where she kept her clothes. Quickly fishing out a clean set of clothes, she left it stacked on the bed. She ducked into the bathroom and out of the few garments she was still wearing to prepare for a much-needed morning shower.

An immensely refreshing fifteen minutes later saw Naoto standing in front of a small mirror, styling her loose locks into a ponytail that she tossed over her shoulder with a satisfied hum. Today, she decided, would make a nice day off. As such, she was wearing a long sleeved, navy blue shirt with a stylized pattern along part of the hem to go with her dark grey jeans. She was about to leave before she leaned back into the room and eyed Souji's wardrobe. Sneaking back into the living room to check on Souji, she leaned gently on the back of the couch and watched as he mumbled incoherently.

 _He looks peaceful._

…

 _..And...admittedly, sort of cute._

It took more effort than she thought to not giggle at his attempt to fend her off as she poked his cheek. Padding back to their room, she carefully chose a set of clothes for him that she thought would look good together. Leaving the pile on the kitchen counter, she checked the fridge and frowned at the lack of breakfast. Her stomach growling slightly brought a soft blush with it, but she ignored it and patted her pocket to make sure her wallet was there. She quickly and quietly let herself out, leaving a note on the fridge door.

Present...

 _Hmm...he used these to make breakfast once…_

"Naoto-kun, there you are!"

Naoto looked up from the vegetables she was browsing, switching the basket that was in one hand to the other as her friend ran over.

"Oh. Rise-san."

She was mildly surprised as Rise latched onto the arm she had just freed, almost pulling them both to the floor. The detective managed to haul them both up before that happened, smiling as the idol grinned. "It's been so long since I've seen you!"

"...It's been two weeks, Rise-san."

"Don't...pause like that! You sound like Senpai!"

That was...interesting. "Do I?"

"...Yes!"

"Okay, I understand. Don't, um, do that."

"What are you doing? I've never seen you shopping before!"

Naoto blinked, but didn't comment at the truth in that statement. She normally frequented the more office-oriented parts of Junes, for folders or staples or other such utility goods. However, that didn't mean she was completely useless in the kitchen; her simple cooking skills were a point of pride. A small one, but one nonetheless. She contemplated this for a few moments before Rise snapped her fingers in front of her face. "Ah. Yes?"

"Do you live in the city? This is pretty close to the residential district."

...Oh. Well, it was to be expected. This branch of Junes was in a convenient place, almost smack in the middle of the city shopping district and a fairly short distance from Souji's apartment. "Count on Souji-kun to be on top of everything…" She muttered.

"What? What about Souji-senpai?"

She stopped and slowly looked at Rise, realizing her mistake as the idol gaped at her. "Er...I didn't say that aloud, did I?"

"You did. Are you and Souji-senpai...together?"

Naoto stared at Rise, musing quietly about her options. The most prevalent ones were lie and say yes, deny-deny-deny, or run. Fast. She silently put one foot a bit towards the direction of the cashiers, but Rise caught on. As Naoto turned to get moving, she threw her arms around her stomach and held her as well as she could. "Where do you think you're going? Naoto-kun!"

About ten minutes later saw the two sitting in the Junes food court, both of them having bought a drink; coffee for Naoto, and TaP for Rise. The idol took a sip as Naoto look around, musing about days gone by. _Hm...well-shaded, plenty of space. Fast service, and smiles for all customers._

 _...Too loud. Even the colors._

"Aah, good old TaP."

"I hear the new flavor's fairly popular."

Rise smiled and put her soda down, leaning eagerly on the table and asking, "So. How does Souji-senpai come into you buying groceries?"

Naoto had the will not to spit out her coffee, putting a hand to her mouth and coughing a bit. Rise watched for a moment and reached over to pat her back and help however she could. "N-...not wasting any time, are we?"

"Nope. Now details would be nice."

The two stared each other down, Naoto ducking her gaze to take a draft of her coffee. She looked inside the cup and glared at the quarter of the life-giving drink. _I just wanted to make breakfast with my-..._

 _...With my roommate._

"I spend time at his apartment whenever I find my way back to the city."

"What are you, a travelling trader?"

"No. I, um...I live there, so to speak."

Naoto froze, the look gleaming in Rise's eyes telling her that she'd fallen into a trap. "So..any, y'know, chemistry?"

"We're good friends, yes."

"Anything else?"

"He makes a mean cup o' joe."

"Don't talk like a character in those detective novels, Naoto-kun! I know it's your way of beating around the bush."

She stared at the idol staring earnestly back, shutting her eyes and finishing her coffee. _This is lookin' pretty bad. The girl's not letting up, and I'm running out of answers. Best course of action is to...run? The alley looks good, and I can use the cover of darkness to wait it out. Maybe backup will arrive by then._

"You better not be thinking about running again."

Naoto's mindset switched back to normal as Rise flicked her forehead. _Or honesty is the best policy._

"I admit, he is physically attractive, and his personality makes him as pleasant to be around as always."

 _Not to mention the other ways he's pleasant to be around…_

 _Sheesh, I'm turning into a pervert._

"Oh." She fished her phone out of her pocket and quickly sent Souji a text. "Does he cook everyday?"

 _Sent 10:32: Help_

 _Received 10:32: What's going on? Are you okay?_

 _Sent 10:33: Being interrogated by Rise. Can you call?_

"Yes, he does."

 _Pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-_

"Oh. I apologize, Rise-san, but this is important. "

"Hmm...okay then."

Naoto put the phone to her ear and rushed out of the food court, turning a corner as Souji said, " _Seta bailout service, how can I help?"_

"Oh, you're a life-saver, Souji-kun."

" _In more ways than one, huh?"_

"It would seem so. I'm on my way home."

Souji held the door open for her upon her arrival twenty minutes later, shutting it behind them and blinking in surprise as she pushed him against the door and pressed her lips to his. His hands just squeezed gently against the small of her back when she pulled away, smiling and taking a step back. "My hero. I owe you once again."

He blinked again and shook his head, walking into the kitchen and pouring out a cup of water. "I-It's nothing. So, why did you go out anyway?"

Naoto froze where she stood, covering her face with her hands and muttering, "I wanted to go buy some groceries, but Rise cornered me…"

Souji smiled at just how distraught she looked, leaning over the counter to tousle her hair. She whined quietly and straightened it out as best she could before giving up and loosed her ponytail from its tie. "We can go buy some more later."

"I-I can pay for it."

"Nope. Senpai can afford his own groceries, y'know."

The doorbell rang just then; as Souji was heading to open the door, Naoto intercepted him and looked through the peephole. Before he could ask her what was wrong as she went pale, she hopped back and pushed him insistently into their bedroom, a hand pressed against his mouth all the while. "Souji-kun, I- hey!"

She withdrew her hand from his mouth and looked back and forth from it to him. "What did you do?"

He stuck his tongue out slightly before speaking. "I licked. Now, what's wrong?" He looked around the bedroom and smiled teasingly, murmuring conspiratorially, "I'm glad you're back too, but isn't it a little early for-"

"That's not why I brought you here, you silly! Rise-san is outside!"

That caught his attention. "...Oh."

"How should we go about this?"

"Er...could just hide here."

"Souji-senpai, I know you're in there!"

"...Huh. Who'da thunk. "

"Souji-kun!"

Souji smiled at Naoto's panic and playfully ground his forehead against hers, his hands tucked in his pockets as he did. He kept it pressed to hers as he said, "Stay here. I'll see if I can get her to come later or something."

He gave her a two-fingered salute as he backed out of the room, leaving a bewildered detective wrestling with her thoughts. His hand found the doorknob and he pulled it open, nodding politely to his friend. "Rise. What brings you here?"

She offered him a plastic bag, one he took and sorted through the contents as he said, "I haven't gone out today. Yet, at least."

"Oh, but I thought Naoto-kun bought them."

Naoto bit back a gasp from her hiding place behind the kitchen counter, silently cursing her bad luck that Rise found them. _Damn. But, where did she get his address…?_

She had a harder time holding back a cry of shock as her groceries landed neatly on top of the counter.

"Did she? Huh."

"Soooo...is she home?"

 _Uh-oh._

"What makes you think she lives here?"

"She told me."

"Oh? Any proof? Wait, how do you even know where I live?"

 _Huh. He has a detective's instinct._

"Hey, Souji."

"Oh. Yosuke." _WHAT?_ "That...explains far too much."

"Mind if we come in?"

"...Are you vampires?"

"No."

Souji glanced towards the kitchen and shrugged, opening the door wider, ushering them in and shutting the door. "So is Naoto home?"

He looked again to the kitchen, stifling a chuckle as she looked up from where she stood behind the sink. To her credit, she was playing off the fact that she was hiding very well, storing the groceries where they belonged as turning quietly when she finished. A rosy blush dusted her cheeks as she greeted both of them. "Yosuke-san. Rise-san."

Souji stowed the empty bag away and frowned at the devilish smiles that the two guests wore as he stood with Naoto in the kitchen. "So, um...what's new?"

* * *

 **Hah, they're trapped in their own apartment with two nosy best friends. Till next time.**


	4. Day 18-2: Coming to Terms

**...Sorry.**

* * *

Day 18

"So you two are living together?"

"Did you not believe me?"

"Err...I won't say that, but...it's still kinda hard to believe."

Souji walked out of the thin veil of steam coming from the kitchen, four plates balanced delicately on his arms. Naoto reached up and took two of them, passing them to Rise and Yosuke and nudging a chair back for him with her foot. "Here. Sorry, Naoto, but I had to use most of what you bought."

"That's alright. We can buy more later."

The four began eating the simple breakfast omelettes in earnest, audible praise filling the air by the two guests. Souji took a swig of water, and Naoto simply smiled at the euphoria visible on Rise's face. "Souji-senpai, your cooking's incredible!"

"Yeah, it's still...really good, geez."

"Glad to hear it."

He noticed Naoto glancing at him, throwing a sly wink her way that easily made her blush a bit. "Sorry for the boring breakfast."

"Don't say that. Your cooking always was the best."

Souji smiled with silent thanks and focused on taking in some breakfast. Naoto followed his example eagerly and took another bite of the omelette. "So how is it living with the master cook?"

"It's...fine? There's nothing to complain about…"

Naoto blushed softly and continued much more quickly, looking down and off to the side as she mumbled, "...and it is Souji-kun…"

If Souji heard that, he didn't comment, simply taking a drink of orange juice and focusing on his breakfast. Anyone actually paying attention to him might have been able to notice the way his cheeks got just a bit red from the ambiguous compliment. "So how are you two?"

"Huh?"

Rise shrugged and smiled slyly and Naoto, who blinked and hastily took a sip of her drink. "I meant, you two must be getting along pretty well. You're boyfriend and girlfriend, aren't you?"

Souji choked on a bite of his omelette, coughing into his arm as Naoto patted his back firmly. When he caught his breath, he took a glance at Yosuke's bewildered look; he deduced that his partner wasn't part of whatever shenanigans she had planned. "Uh...no. Naoto just lives here whenever she's actually in town."

"I did return from a case overseas just yesterday."

"Oh, so you probably went straight to bed as soon as you got back, huh?"

Both Souji and Naoto blushed furiously at the very mention of bed, the events of the other night replaying like a film reel in their minds. "Guys?"

"...I stayed up for a while to watch some movies with Souji-kun. Apparently, I fell asleep in the middle of one and Souji-kun had to carry me to bed."

"Wow! Just like Sleeping Beauty!"

"Uh...right."

"...Weather's pretty cold."

Souji gave Yosuke a strange look at that, but let it go and continued with his breakfast. "Seems so."

"It's almost like you two should sleep together for-"

"We're not doing that. We have a heater."

"But it's not like you haven't tried something like that before! Like when you two were 'stuck'," Yosuke took care to do air quotes, ", in the shed during the ski trip."

Souji sighed as Naoto facepalmed, both of them remembering the incident with mild embarrassment and a bit more fondness. Naoto spoke instead this time with, "We were in legitimate danger of freezing. There was a blizzard, you know."

"Or you two just wanted to-"

"Ooookay, that's enough. I have class soon, so I'm leaving the place in your care, okay?"

"I promise the place won't burn down."

"Thanks. C'mon, Yosuke. Up."

"Huh? What do you need me for?"

"I need you to go to class. Maybe you'll learn a thing or two."

"Wha- hey, I wanna find out abo-"

"Bye, Naoto. Rise, you're welcome to stay if you want."

"Nooooo, Souji, I-"

"Stay safe, Souji-kun."

"Bye, Senpai!"

The door shut before Yosuke could get another word out, and Naoto was left alone...with Rise, the most subtle idol in all existence. Rise was giving her a strange look as she nervously finished her drink, asking with the slightest of stutters, "S-so, um...how are you?"

Naoto winced slightly as Rise slammed her palms on the table and glared at her, almost shouting, "What are you doing?"

"W-what do you mean?"

"First you run off before I can ask you about the whole Senpai thing, and now I hear you haven't even made a move on him?"

Naoto raised her hands placatingly, but there was no refuge to be found as Rise leaned as far as she could over the table without falling flat on it. "Well, you can't exactly say that I haven't...made a move on him…?"

That seemed to quell her ire, at least for a moment. "...What do you mean?"

That was the kicker; Naoto flushed lightly as she realized she'd jumped from the frying pan into the fire. "I, uh...um...you see, I-"

"NAOTO-KUN, just tell me!"

"We're having sex!"

Naoto blushed furiously as she blurted out the truth, knotting her fingers in her pants legs and looking down shamefully. Rise, predictably, was shocked into silence. At least...for a moment or two. "Wha-...really?"

A quick nod with a quiet, barely audible "yes" was her answer. Strangely enough, that managed to fuel Rise's angry fire even more. "So, you're living with him and you can't even confess in this...kinda perverted situation? I thought your plan was to find him and confess!"

"Well...when you put it like that, it sounds like I'm using him for his body…"

"...Naoto-kun, you are using him for his body!"

"It's not as if I'm forcing him to...to let me live with him, and-..."

"I get the appeal, but this whole order of things is messed up! You're supposed to confess to him, o-or he confesses to you, and you do all the boyfriend-girlfriend stuff before you...you do the thing!"

"...What do you mean 'the thing'?"

Rise shot Naoto a pointed look, crossing her arms and standing to her full height to "tower" about an inch above Naoto. The detective was wearing a rosy blush at just how awkward this conversation was, and it deepened when she realized exactly what "the thing" was. "R-Rise-san!"

"I didn't think you fell in love with him for his-"

"Stop, stop! That's not...that's not why I did!"

Unbeknownst to both of them, simply talking about the rather...unusual topic was creating mental images that were best left to their imagination. Unfortunately, that only added to the scenario's insanity.

"You know I'm right! What's the problem here? You like him, and I've never seen him smile as much as he does unless he's around you!"

Naoto blinked, then did again for good measure, before quietly saying, "...Really?"

Rise's stern look softened, and she gave her friend an exasperated smile as she squeezed her arm. "Yeah. You should talk to him. Before something else happens."

Naoto crossed her arms and stood tall this time, just reaching the idol's height as she fixed her with her best stern look. "And why exactly were you teasing me so much while he was still here?"

"...It was fun. You looked so shocked when I mentioned the relationship bit."

"You are the worst sometimes. Have I ever pranked you?"

"Well...there was the time when you planted a vibration motor in the door to my room that went off every time I walked by."

"It's not my fault you have a ridiculous amount of boy band posters. Everywhere."

"It wasn't funny! I thought I was gonna go crazy!"

Naoto lost it and let out a laugh for a good few moments, and Rise couldn't help but smile despite herself at the admittedly funny joke. The idol playfully patted Naoto's cheek and started towards the door. "You're leaving?"

"Yup. I have practice for a concert coming up."

"Oh. Good luck."

"Thanks, you too!"

She gave Naoto a very pronounced wink and waved as she let herself out, leaving the detective alone with her thoughts. She looked at her watch and murmured, "...Souji-kun won't be back for at least three more hours…"

 **4 Hours Later...**

"Souji-kun, I know our situation is...strange, and I don't particularly want to ruin what we have, but...I-I…"

Naoto ran her hands through her hair and almost headbutted her mirror in frustration. "Gaah- I can't do it!"

She put her hands on the glass and stared hard at her reflection; it only made it tougher to consider just what she was going to do when Souji got home. She turned her face a bit left and right, trying to find a secret that wasn't there. Her heart felt heavy when she didn't find whatever she was looking for; just how could she drop yet another item on Souji when she was already taking so much? "I don't even know if he'd return the sentiment…"

She sighed heavily and closed her eyes, but she snapped to attention when she heard the doorbell ringing, followed by a lock turning as a familiar voice called, "Naoto? I'm home! I was thinking we could go out for sushi tonight."

Naoto ducked out of the bathroom and bounced out to meet Souji, who dropped his school bag near the kitchen counter and offered a warm smile to her; it was one that made her heart flutter happily whenever he bothered. "Ah. W-welcome home."

"Rise left, huh? Ah, well, she could've come, too."

Naoto pushed the irrational possessive instinct that gnawed at her in lieu of watching him intently for a moment before saying, "S-Souji-kun."

The uncertain tone of her voice gave Souji pause, and he looked up from where he was fishing for a book to give her his undivided attention.

"I...I wanted discuss something with you."


	5. Day 18-3: Unwelcome Departure

**When I reread the story up till now, I thought it was fine until I got to the latest chapter. The confession seemed forced, and it left a bad taste in my mouth when I saw how it all came together. Also, I can't write a good date. So, here's the rewrite. There'll be a time for confessions. Just...not now.**

* * *

Day 18

"I...I wanted to discuss something with you."

Souji watched her carefully as he slowly put down the book he found, his eyes holding a silent question as she cleared her throat nervously. Naoto mentally kicked herself, unable to get the words out.  
It was ridiculous.

Criminals, thugs, and generally unsavory people were the kind that Naoto could shut down without fear; put her in front of Souji and she was just a girl a year younger than him. "You okay?"

She blinked at his words. How long had she been standing there-

 _Pi-pi-pi._

"Hm?"

Naoto nodded apologetically to Souji, turning away as he smiled slightly and picked up his book again. Fishing out her phone, she skimmed over the email she had received. "...Oh."

"...?"

"The case I had been working on. New evidence has come to light."

"What does that mean for you?"

"It means I'll be heading back to assist with the investigation. I'll need to take care of this as soon as possible."

"So you'll need an early flight then?"

Naoto looked up at the sound of Souji's chair rolling across the floor, and she cocked her head slightly when she saw him typing away on his computer. "Well, yes, but...what are you doing?"

"Helping you book a ticket."

"A-ah. You really don't need to do that, I'm sure I can find a good departure time."

"How's this?"

That...was quick. "Just after midnight. You can sleep on the plane, and I can make sure you have a good dinner in you before you go."

And that was just sweet. "That...sounds perfect. Thank you."

"Mhm. I can-"

"You're not paying for the ticket."

He pouted at that, shrugging and getting up from his seat to let her log on and fill out the appropriate information. "The department should cover it, anyhow."

"Ah."

Naoto booked the ticket and leaned back in the chair, sighing softly and resting her head against the top of the cushion. "I guess you won't have much time to relax, huh?"

"I suppose not." She looked over at him and smiled slightly. "We can make the most of it, though."

"I do have a couple of movies I've been meaning to catch up on. Let me treat you to some dinner first."

"You mentioned sushi?"

"I did indeed. Wanna go?"

"I'll get my jacket."

 **One hour later.**

Two empty trays of sushi had found a new home in the trash, the two who had enjoyed them having long since started the night's movie. Souji had found a blanket warm enough to stave away the night's chill, throwing it over the two of them and letting Naoto lean against him. She smiled at the offer and partook in it with no hesitation, content to enjoy the movie and her...lover? No, no...Her _partner's_ company.

This was nice...but something felt wrong. As if she didn't deserve such kindness.

Her small smile slowly turned into a frown as she nuzzled against him and focused on the TV, his arm going around her shoulder and sharing his warmth. She watched the movie drone on, desperately trying to convince herself that this wasn't normal.

An hour later saw the movie finish, so Naoto was simply sitting on the bed and typing away on her laptop. Souji came in a minute later, towelling his damp silver hair and smiling softly when he saw her. He silently dropped the towel, with his upper torso just asking for attention with that lack of a shirt. Stupid Souji. "I get the notion you're trying to tempt me."

"Want to?"

Those two words were able to capture her complete attention, drawing her gaze from the laptop to that infuriatingly attractive body. She gulped, shaking her head quickly to get her thoughts in order. "Now?"

"Your choice."

"I don't know...it'll be a while before I see you again."

"Ah. You want to be relaxed before you get back out there, huh."

To further his guess, he put a knee on the bed as she shut her laptop and set it aside. She smiled and shuffled back against the headboard as he pursued her, crawling carefully onto the mattress as she reached out to pull him close.

"If you don't mind."

That was, by now, a lie. At first, it was good, being able to release her tension while spending time with someone that she gradually found she was falling in love with. And it wasn't the sex. Although that was quite nice…

It was...the way he acted, the way he carried himself even when he wasn't saddled with the responsibility of being a leader. It was the crush that she had squashed that year, but it always crept back into her thoughts whenever they met for coffee over the time they were apart.

Her mind came back to reality when she felt his hand slide heavily down her hip, caressing her thigh and gently squeezing her flesh. An involuntary sigh escaped her, letting Souji know she was getting into the mood. His half-lidded gaze met hers as he drifted his lips down her shoulder and eased a sleeve off. She reciprocated by mapping out his muscles as he leaned over her again, pressing her to the mattress and effectively speeding up her heartbeat. She mentally kicked herself for not getting used to this earlier; the whole friends-with-benefits schtick was her idea, and she was consequently responsible for initiating most of their little...encounters. However, when Souji came to her and took the lead, it never failed to send a thrill down her spine.

Naoto was so lost in thought that she almost didn't notice Souji's thumb hooking into her waistband and slyly pulling her pants down. She smirked despite herself and nudged him off, muttering, "Let me."

She wriggled out of her pants as quickly as she could and tried to pull him close, but he simply took her hand and nuzzled against it briefly. She felt her breath hitch and hoped he didn't notice the effect it had on her; such affection was unnecessary and only served to complicate this predicament she had wonderfully immersed herself in. He let go of her hand and moved slightly between her legs. His hands ran across her thighs and his smile signalled his intention.

Crap. It was all a ruse.

In the short time they had been living together, Naoto had discovered that Souji picked up on any things quickly. Pinpointing her body's weaknesses and points of pleasure was an infuriating one of them. She tried to mumble something in protest, but then his tongue was _there_ and she couldn't help but bite her lip and squeeze her eyes shut. He gazed at her, almost in trance, lazily dragging his tongue across her slit. A low whine tumbled out her lips as he pressed his mouth to her core, letting his tongue move past her folds briefly before retreating. She opened her mouth to ask why he stopped, but she instead let go of an embarrassing moan as he closed his eyes and lapped at her again, catching a thin trail of the juices leaking out on his tongue. He hefted her legs over his shoulders and continued exploring her with his tongue. She would have complained at just how vulnerable she felt if it didn't feel so _good_.

She felt his fingers drift across her stomach, coming to rest just above her clit as she tried to focus on not coming. As soon as she felt his thumb nudge against it however, she was jarred from her thoughts and she felt herself lose it all, her hips shuddering against his mouth as she grabbed bunches of the blankets between her fingers. Souji took her release in stride, silently drinking whatever she had to offer until he felt her body relax and meld into the bed. Naoto whimpered, her hips feeling jelly-like as Souji carefully gave her one last lick and pulled away. She panted lightly, watching him wipe his mouth with the heel of his palm and slowly lick the last of what he caught off.

Naoto let her gaze drift down his chest until she saw the protrusion from his pants, swallowing nervously as she found the strength to crawl to him and push him down. Her palm caressed his length through the fabric, and she kissed his as hard as she could as she tried to take control. That plan was quickly rendered moot as he pushed upwards, violating her mouth with his tongue and letting her taste herself on him. She squeezed her eyes shut, the flavor sparking a heat in her stomach as she felt her heartbeat quicken. He felt her pull away, looking to where she was frantically scanning around for...something. "Here."

He threw open one of the bedside drawers and plucked out a condom, biting the wrap of the packet and pulling it open. Naoto let him get ready, unconsciously letting her sight fall on the the box that held the rest of their protection. Before she knew it, her hand had picked a string of the contraceptives and left them where she could easily grab a new one. She turned to face Souji again, quickly noticing that he had been ready for a while and that she had given him a rather generous view of her ass while she was carrying out her perverted idea. He would have looked rather patient, but his face was red and his breath was slightly uneven, as if he was tired of her teasing him.

Well, that wasn't very fair of him to think, was it?

She smiled and crawled over, pushing him down and straddling him so that she was just about sitting on his erection. "I suppose you deserve a reward."

"Oh, now I do?"

Naoto rose a bit and fitted him to her entrance, grinding her hips against his as he groaned in need. "You do."

She sank down onto him, feeling him fill her completely and a collective groan flowing out of the two. After adjusting to the shared heat, she smiled, kissing him gently and letting their tongues mingle before parting. Souji kept his hands on her hips, gently caressing her skin as a gentle offer to continue. She obliged, with gusto.

Tonight was going was going to be long and...very relaxing.

They finished just after midnight, condom wrappers strewn about and used condoms lazily tossed in the trash. Souji was drifting to sleep, cuddling against Naoto as she rested and caught her breath against his chest. She felt deliciously sated, sleep pawing at her mind as she sighed lightly and smiled. The guilt was quieted for now, and she was content to simply fall asleep in his arms, bodies close and unhindered by clothes. She closed her eyes, letting Souji's body heat comfort her as she fell asleep alongside him.


End file.
